Things Unexpected
by moviemaniac07
Summary: Seventeen year old Jack Mercer had only went to buy a CD, but what he discovered was something more than he had ever expected. He meets a mysterious girl who calls herself Sarah, but Jack knows her eyes: their eyes from his past. Who is this girl?
1. Fallen Angels

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Disclaimer: I own "Sarah" and that's it_

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Jack walked through the CD's, nothing catching his immediate interest. He thumbed through a couple of rows. Nothing. He continued to walk through the isles, focused on one thing.

It was a new band, really weird name. He couldn't remember it right now, but he knew that if he saw it, he would recognize it. He was just about to give up when he saw the name, in big bold letters on a display. There was one left. He walked over to the display, a smile crossing his face. He reached out to grab it, nearly touching in, but before he could grasp it, someone else snatched it from the rack.

He turned to see who had taken it, surprised by what he saw. He was staring at the face of a fallen angel. Her hair was beautiful, brown, almost black, with red stripes. It was pulled back in a low, messy bun. A few strands had fallen out, masking her face as she looked down at the CD. She had on a black sweater and a pair of jeans, and black DC's.

Hear beauty threw him a little off, but not enough to completely distract him.

"Excuse me," he said, a little forcefully.

She replied without even looking up. "You're excused."

He folded his arms and stared at her, no longer smiling.

It felt like forever, but she finally responded. "Can I help you?"

"Yea, I want that."

"Really…and why's that?" She looked at him. It was the first chance that he had seen her eyes. They were green, the color of emeralds. They nearly took away his breath. They looked familair, they looked like hers...

"Because I came here for that CD."

"And what makes you think that I didn't?" She smiled at him

"Did you?"

"No, I didn't." She began to walk away, back through the isles that Jack had just walked through. He followed, unsure of whether he was following her, or the CD. Either way, she didn't seem to matter.

"So, you like this band, huh?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"I've only heard one song," he admitted to her.

"That's all it ever takes."

"Yea, I guess so." She had stopped, and they were facing each other. "What's you're name?" Jack asked the mystery girl

"You can call me…Sarah," she said smirking.

"Is that you're name?" He was suspicious that it wasn't.

"No, but I've always liked it. Besides, I've just met you. Why would I tell you my name?"

"I'll tell you mine."

"Okay," she said, taking a step closer to him. "Let's have it."

"Jack Mercer." He took a step, too.

She turned away from him, and began walking again. "Well, Mr. Mercer…Jack it was nice talking to you, but I have to go, got things to do." She pulled out a sharpie and began writing on the CD case. When she had finished, she handed it to him. "Try number 11, you'll like it."

With a smile, she walked out the door, leaving Jack to stare after her. He looked down at the CD case, smiling at what it said.

_**Remember me Jack**_

He smiled, and laughed, just a little. She had finally come back

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_I really hope you like it, my first one i've put on here. Please Read and Review_


	2. Everything Changes

_So, I own the only two characters that aren't in the movie._

_Not my best, but i hope you like it_

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Jack Mercer, boy had he grown up. Three years could do a lot to a person. He'd shot up, probably taller that her dad now. His hair was about the same length, but he found a new hairstyle. His muscles were more defined; she could see them through his shirt. But his eyes, they were the same as always: icy blue, piercing through to her soul.

She laughed to herself. A few people in the street glanced at her as she passed by. Jack Mercer had changed physically, but she wondered if inside he was the same boy she alays knew.

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_Thirteen year old Brooke was sitting by herself on a stupid swing, at the stupid party, her parents had drug her to._

_Stupid Parents._

_Melanie was sick, she couldn't come. So Brooke sat there all alone, wanting to go home. She had just contemplated walking home when she saw a figure walking towards her._

_Evelyn Mercer was a large part of Brooke's life, almost like her mom. Brooke spent so much time at her house, eating dinner, playing with the boys. She would even drag Mel over there to hang out. It was like she had a whole other family. She loved Eve, and she loved the boys._

_Bobby was nearly twenty-six. He wasn't home much, but when he was, he always took care of her. Jerry was twenty-three. He had gotten a good job with some contracting company. He was always busy with his schooling and work, but he always made time to play cards with her. Angel was twenty one, in the Navy. She hardly saw him anymore, but she wrote him all the time._

_And then there was Jack. He was thirteen, but the most shy of them all. In the two years she had lived in Detroit, he had barely talked to her. Even when he was around, he would just sit in the corner, alone. He was shy, and she wanted nothing more in the world than to talk to him, but there was something about him that intimidated her._

"_Hello Brookie," Eve said as she sat down next to her. _

"_Hey, Eve. Are the boys here?" Brooke asked, a little more excited now._

"_No, they went out tonight. Angel's home for about a week. But Jack is here. Why don't you come and see him?"_

_Brooke sighed, but she got up anyway. She was still excited, but less that before, knowing that disappointment could soon follow. _

_Jack was sitting on the ground, with a notebook and a pencil in his hands. He was writing, as usual._

_Brooke walked over to him and sat down. He glanced at her, but didn't stop what he was doing._

_She peered over his shoulder, trying to see what he was writing. "What are you writing?" she finally asked when she realized her attempt was futile. _

"_Stuff," he said gruffly. "You wanna see it?" he asked handing it to her. She took it from him, reading each line carefully._

"_It's really good, Jack. Keep writing." She moved to hand it back to him, but he just shook his head and leaned back on his hands._

"_Naw, you keep it." He looked at her and smiled, only slightly, sending shivers down her back._

_She looked down at the ground, the notebook still in her hands. Her eyes traveled to his hands, then his wrist. Something their caught her eye. She reached out to brush the scar placed by some wicked hand on his flawless skin, sliding her hand up the length of it, beyond the border of his shirt. He looked down to the place where her hand lay, then looked into at her. She was still mesmerized by the scar, a story untold._

"_What happened to you?" Brooke asked, true concern in her voice._

"_Someone hurt me, a long time ago." She looked into Jack's eyes as he said this last part "Don't let someone do this to you. Don't let someone hurt you."_

_She drew her hand away and turned her head towards the house. "What do you care?"_

_He reached out and grabbed her hand. "I do, Brooke, I do."_

_She laughed. "You never talk to me, and now you're saying that you care whether or not I get hurt."_

"_I didn't talk to you because I was afraid that **I** would hurt you."_

"_Jack, you could never hurt me, you're only hurting me by avoiding me."_

_Jack pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry."_

"_Don't be. Just be my friend."_

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From that day on, they were inseparable. Anywhere one was the other went. Melanie was there, too, most times. They had become the three amigos. For a little over a year, the world was perfect. Everything was the way it should be. Then, her world had come crashing down. Brooke's mother died in a car crash, leaving only her and her father. Her dad had done everything he could to make it okay. And he did. Within a month he had restored their life the best he could. They were happy, their life complete. But then, for some unknown reason, he decided to rip it all out from underneath her.

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_So that's it... What did you think. Please read and review_


	3. The Day it All Changed

_Well here i go again. hope you like it_

_i only own the characters NOT in the movie_

_i wished i own the others, but there you have it..._

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Jack paced the floor of his bedroom, unable to keep still. Brook McAllister had walked back into his life after three years of being gone. She had changed him, then left. And he couldn't find himself able to switch back. Truth was, he liked how she changed him. He liked her being there. She was a part of his life. Then, she was gone.

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"_Hey Ma," Jack said after shutting the front door._

"_Hey Jackie! I though you were going to Brooke's after school," Evelyn yelled from the kitchen._

"_I am, just wanted to grab a CD." He ran up the step and down the hallway to his room. He flipped through his CD case, looking for something good he thought Brooke would like. He was about halfway through his collection when the phone rang._

"_I'll get it Ma!" He yelled as he ran back down the stairs, jumping the last few steps to grab the receiver. "Hello?"_

"_Jack!" It was Brooke. Jack could tell she was crying._

"_What's wrong?" he asked, concern lacing through his voice._

"_We're leaving! We're moving!" she cried._

"_When?" Jack was frantic now._

"_Right now! My dad is loading everything into the truck, then we're leaving!"_

"_Okay. I'll be over there soon. I promise! Don't leave yet!"_

_He hung up the phone and ran out the door, without even saying goodbye to Ma. Jack jumped down the steps, nearly falling down. He continued to run, down the street. All he could think about was getting there before she left. He had to say goodbye._

_Brooke's house was in view, and he was still running. He could see the moving truck, he could see her dad moving the last of the boxes, and he could see her, nearly lifeless in front of the house. Her head was hanging down at first, but eventually she looked up. When she did, he could see her break from the house, her form becoming larger as she drew closer to him._

_They ran into each others arms, at full speed. The force nearly knocked them both over, but somehow they managed to keep each other up. She sobbed unto his shoulder, unable to sway the tears. Jack held onto her, afraid that the second he let her go, she would disappear forever. _

_But all too soon, she broke the embrace. It was only then that she noticed that he was holding an old black notebook. _

"_What's that?" She placed a hand on the worn cover._

"_It's that notebook, the one I was writing in that day we talked. I told you to keep it, but you gave it back. But I want you to have it."_

"_Jack, I can't…" she whispered_

"_Please, take it, so I know that you will always remember me, and that a piece of me will always lie with you."_

_She took the notebook from him. "Thank you," she cried. Brooke flung an arm around his neck. "But I don't have anything to give you."_

"_It's okay. I'll always remember you."_

"_Me too, I'll always remember you."_

_They could hear Brooke's dad calling in the distance. She broke from him, then looked over her shoulder at her dad. "I have to go." She looked down at the ground. 'Jack, I don't want to…"_

"_I know, I know." He pulled her close. "I don't want you to either."_

"_Goodbye."_

"_Goodbye."_

_And with one word she was gone, in the car, cruising down the road. Jack watched the car until he couldn't see it anymore. And she, too, looked back at him until he was no longer in view._

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After that, everything seemed to fall apart. He and Mel had grown apart, gone their separate ways. He found that everything they used to do, he rarely did anymore. It just wasn't as fun anymore. They only physical proof that she had ever existed were the pictures hanging up on his wall, but soon enough he had to take them down. They were too much. Yet he could not stop his family from talking about her, and he didn't want to. He missed her, and to know that they all did helped, he knew he wasn't alone.

Jack walked over to his desk and opened up the bottommost drawer. Tentatively, he reached his hand in, grasping for hidden memories. He pulled out the pictures taken down long ago. With a sigh and a smile, Jack tacked the first picture back on the wall.

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So, what did you think!!! Please revies_

_By the way, thanks to all those who have reviewed. I love you all. You are all so great_


	4. Walking Her Home

Okay. So I've finally found some inspiration to finish this story. But I need some feedback to do so. If I don't get any reviews, I can't continue.

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He felt weird, standing at Mel's door, after not talking to her for months. But he wanted to find Brooke, and this was his only shot. He took a deep breath, calming himself, attempting to think of what he would say to Mel if Brooke wasn't here. I mean, he couldn't tell her that he thought Brooke might be in town because he saw some girl in a record store that had her eyes. Mel wouldn't understand that. Hell, he wasn't even sure he did.

Taking another breath, he knocked on the door before he managed to chicken out of actually doing it. He heard movement behind the door. Hopefully it wasn't Mel's parents. That would be sufficiently awkward.

He looked down at his shoes, starting to think this was one hell of a bad idea. Maybe he should have waited until school. Maybe he would have seen her there.

Before he could have even entertained the thought of playing ding dong ditch, the door opened. He looked up, expecting to see Mel's brown eyes and blonde hair. But instead, all he saw was that green. That beautiful emerald green.

Brooke smiled, resting on the door frame. "Jack Mercer."

He shook his head, returning her smile. "Brooke McAllister. You come back to Detroit after three years and all you can do is deface my brand new CD cover and make up some crazy name to try and fool me? Man, I mean I knew you only had like…three years with us but seriously…I expected more out a pseudo—Mercer."

She laughed. "You should be lucky I even gave you the CD Cracker Jack. I really like that band."

"Yeah, and you liked Nsync too. When we were younger. Before I saved you."

Brooke shook her head. "Come over here you jackass."

He did just that. He walked the few feet in between them, grabbing her by the waist and hoisting her up into the air, giving her a hug.

"Aww Jack, I'm jealous. You never hug me…" Mel had somehow snuck up on the two of them.

Jack laughed, but put Brooke down anyway. "Nice to see you too Mel."

"Hey, I didn't see it was nice to see you. I'm pretty pissed at you actually. I thought we were friends." Mel was trying to frown, but she couldn't hide the hint of the smile on her face.

"Oh come on Mel. We are friends."

"Uh huh. And that's why I don't see you. But then Brooke comes rolling back into town and you're on my doorstep."

Jack turned on his puppy dog charm. "Mel…Mel…I love you."

Mel rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Yeah okay whatever."

"So Mercer," Brooke said. "How in the hell did you find me here."

"Hunch, I guess."

"Yeah, well you always did have good hunches."

"God I cannot believe you're back."

"Well believe it, Cracker Jack. Because I am back. And I'm going to make your life a living hell."

"Cracker Jack?"

"Bobby taught me well."

"Yeah I guess so."

There was a silence as Brooke and Jack looked at each other, trying to size each other up, trying to see what they had become in three years. It was beginning to get uncomfortable.

Jack cleared his throat. "Well. I just wanted to come by and say hi…say that I did remember you and all. But now that I've done that, I'm just…gonna…go."

Brooke looked slightly disappointed for a second, but she quickly recovered, something she had no doubt learned about from being around the boys. "Oh, yeah. Okay. Mel and I have some catching up to do anyway."

"Well, actually," Mel interjected, "I kinda have to get going to work, so…"

"Oh, okay." Brooke frowned, but turned towards Jack. "Jack, do you wanna wait a second?"

"Yeah okay."

"Just let me get my coat."

Brooke pushed past Mel. Jack waited until she disappeared from the house before turning to face the blonde haired girl. "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" Mel asked innocently.

"Mel. You work at Joe's. The place doesn't even open for an hour."

"Okay, so maybe I am bailing out early? So what? You two obviously have some catching up to do…"

"And so do you."

"Family comes first Jackie boy."

Jack glared at her, but when he heard Brooke's footsteps, he erased the look from his face.

"Alright. Well…I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay? Brooke, have fun unpacking. Jack, make sure she gets home safe."

"Will do Mom," Jack said. Mel just rolled her eyes before turning to give Brooke a hug and then shutting the door.

Brooke turned to Jack. She huffed, a smile on her face. "Hi."

"Hi."

"I missed you."

"Missed you."

"Come on Jackie. You're a man who can write seven thousand gorgeous songs, but can't think of one thing to say?"

He sighed, getting serious for a moment. "I just…really missed you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Missed you too."

"We all missed you. Like crazy. It was weird when you left."

She pulled away, rolling her eyes. "No seriously. We were all used to having a girl around. And when you were gone…forget it. We didn't know what to do with ourselves. They'll be happy to see you again."

Brooke smiled, but didn't say anything. Instead she just walked down the porch stairs and started heading down the sidewalk, knowing full well that Jack would follow.

Jack frowned, following her down the sidewalk. "Do you want to come over? Have dinner? Angel's home on leave."

She smiled at him. "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"Dad wants me home. Wants to make sure I'm safe. He's nervous about being back here."

His heart sank a little. "Okay. Walk you home?"

"Yeah okay."

They walked a few feet, hearing the late winter snow crunch under their feet. Jack couldn't take the silence. He didn't want to do it like this…waste their time without a word. "Why did you come back? If he's nervous about being here?"

She smiled sadly. "Things haven't been the same since Mom died. It's been hard on him to keep a good steady job. He thought that being back in Detroit would help him clear up a little bit...help him be close to where Mom was."

"That could just end up making things worse."

"I know. But I'm almost eighteen. He knows that if it does get worse, at least I have a family here. That I can choose to stay here and been safe. That's what he wants for me."

"Does he think it's going to get worse?"

She shrugged. "I think he knows something he's not telling me."

"And I think you know something you're not telling me."

Jack was so immersed in their conversation that he didn't realized where they were heading until they were standing in front of her old house. He smiled. "Think we got lost."

"Nope." He frowned turning to face her. "This is where I live."

"No shit?"

"Yeah. Guess you know your house really is a dump when it's been empty for three years."

Jack smiled. "There was a family that moved in here about a year ago, from New York. But they only lived here a couple of months."

"Really?" Brooke frowned, looking up at the house. "Wonder what happened."

"I think I kinda scared them off." Brooke turned her attention to him once again. "I used to walk by your house every once in a while, just stop and stare at it…trying to keep you."

They stood there, staring at each other, the silence truly uncomfortable this time. "Why does this feel weird?" Jack asked.

"Three years Jack. Three years without seeing each other, without talking to each other, without any correspondence at all…"

"I know. I just…I had always imagined that when I saw you again, we would be able to pick up right where we left off." He looked down at his shoes. What was going on? She had approached him, hours ago, happy. When she had seen him standing on the porch, she had been happy. But now, everything was falling apart so quickly. Is this really all they were?

Brooke took a few steps closer to Jack, grabbing his hand. He looked up, hope in his eyes. She hated to have to destroy that. "Who we were before could have Jack. But three years is a long time. A lot can happen to a person. A lot has happened to me in three years. I've changed Jack. I'm not the same person that I was before. And I don't know who you are anymore."

"I'm the same B. I haven't changed."

She smiled. "I don't know who I am…"

"You're you. You'll always be you." He reached out to touch her cheek, but she pulled away.

"I think I made a mistake." With that, she dropped his hand and walked away.

Jack followed after her, grabbing onto her shoulder. "Hey, hey…what do you mean you made a mistake?"

She turned around facing him. "I told myself that I shouldn't come and see you…that I should stay away from you. But when I saw you walk into that CD store…I couldn't stop myself, because there you were, and I wanted to see you so bad."

"Seeing me was a mistake."

"It was a mistake because of this. Because things can't be the same any more. Because I don't think I'm here for long."

"Brooke, you're not making any sense. What in the hell is going on."

"My dad hasn't stayed in one place for more than a few months. Detroit's not going to be any different. And when I leave…it's going to change everything again."

"B…"

"I told you Jack Mercer that you could never hurt me. But I didn't promise you that I couldn't hurt you. I'm sorry."

Jack stood there, confused as ever, as he watched her run up the stairs and into her house.


	5. Tell Me Everything So I Can Understand

so here's the next chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed...please continue to review. I've got a lot of plans for this story!! But I need someone to read

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Mel sighed, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it, closing her eyes and trying to get her breath.

Detroit was a bad idea.

She was so immersed in herself that she didn't see her dad sitting on the couch until he said something.

"You okay kiddo?"

She jumped startled, turning to face him. "Yeah. Just…clearing my head is all."

"Was that Jack I heard?"

Brooke attempted to smile, walking over and sitting in the chair across from her father. "Yeah. He found me at Mel's. She had to go to work, so he walked me home."

He smiled at her. "Must be nice, to see your friends again?"

"I missed them a lot." She looked out the window. "So what do you want to do for dinner? Order out?"

He sighed. Brooke knew that wasn't a good sign. "Actually. I have something that I've gotta do tonight…something for work."

Her heart sank. "Oh. Okay." She stood up, taking off her coat, hanging it up on the coat rack by the door.

Her father sighed, standing up. "Listen, if you don't want to be here alone tonight, I don't mind if you called Jack. Maybe he could take you back home with him…you can go see Evelyn and the boys…" She frowned, looking down. He moved forward, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay. If you're sick, I can…"

"No. It's just you said Jack. Not Mel. You told me to call and stay with a guy…it was funny."

He smiled at his daughter. "I trust you. Besides, you always said you felt at home at the Mercer's. And if you're scared, they're probably the safest place for you to ever be."

"Are you sure you're not scared? For me?"

"Of course I am. You're my little girl. I want you to be safe."

"Thanks Dad. But I think I'll be okay. I mean, it's just our house."

"Okay." He kissed her head before grabbing his coat off the coat rack. "I left some money on the table for food. Lock the doors. And don't stay up too late. You've got school tomorrow."

"Okay Dad."

"Love you kiddo."

"Love you too." Her father smiled, grabbing her shoulder one more time before opening the door. "Dad?"

"Yeah honey."

"Be careful. Please." She saw her father's face fell. She saw him finally realize that she knew what he was doing."

"Okay. I will. Don't wait up."

Jack unintentionally slammed the door as he came into the house. Huffing, he sat down on the couch.

"What the fuck happened to you Jackie boy?" Angel asked, staring at his little brother from the kitchen.

"Brooke McAllister."

"You still thinking about her?"

"Like you're not." Angel shrugged. "I saw her."

"What?"

"Today. I saw her. At the CD store. At Mel's."

"No shit?"

"No shit."

Angel walked into the living room, sitting down next to Jack. "Wow."

"Yeah."

"So why the hell are you acting like this."

Jack just shook his head. "I don't know. Something's wrong. She's not the same."

"Of course she's not. She's older now. She's not the same little girl she used to be."

"No. That's not what I mean, Angel."

"Then what do you mean."

"I mean something happened. It's like she's detached herself from everything. Like she's trying to pull away from the world. She said talking to me again was a mistake."

"Shit."

"I gotta figure out what's going on."

"Then what the hell are you doing here?"

"I don't know." He stood up. "Tell Ma I went out okay?"

Brooke was starting to think staying by herself was a mistake. This house was a lot creepier than it used to be. She was sitting up in her room, unpacking her bags when heard a noise coming from the outside of her window. She jumped, walking slowly over to the window, trying to see if there was something out there.

She frowned. Nothing. Just then, Jack's face jumped up in the window. She screamed, jumping back, before she realized it was Jack. She glared at him as she opened the window. "Jack Mercer, what the hell are you laughing at? You nearly gave me a heart attack! I should fucking push you out the window you ass."

"Sorry," he muttered between laughing. "I'm sorry."

She rolled her eyes. "Are going to come in, or are you going to hang on my gutter pipe all night?"

He climbed in the window, still laughing. "What in the hell are you doing here?"

He stopped laughing, looking at her seriously. "I came to see you. To prove that seeing me again wasn't a mistake."

"Jack—"

"Is your Dad home?"

"No."

"Where is he?"

"Working. Look Jack, I don't feel like talking right now, okay? Can we talk tomorrow?"

"Why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?"

"Oh please. You know exactly how you're acting."

She sighed. "Look I'm sorry."

"It's not you."

"It's me now. It's what I've kinda had to become."

"Which I don't understand that. What the hell happened?"

"Jack—"

"Talk to me. Please?"

She studied him a moment. What was she doing? Why was she trying to shut him out? If something happened to her Dad, Jack and the Mercers were the only family she was going to have. Did she really want to give that up? "Fine."

She walked out of her room, Jack following her into the kitchen. He didn't push her. She would start when she was ready. "Do you want anything to drink?" She asked.

"No."

"Okay." She sat down at the small table in their kitchen. Jack sat across from her. She kept her eyes averted from him, looking down at the pattern on the kitchen table. "Just give me a sec, okay? It's kinda hard."

"It's fine."

"I don't want to make you wait."

"I've got forever."

She smiled, but it quickly fell from her face. "Do you know that you and your brothers were all that I had? Were the only thing keeping my life together?"

"B—"

"I didn't know that, until we left here." She swallowed, looking away from him again. "My dad, he changed after mom died. But I didn't see that until we left, and I was forced to just depend on him."

She stopped, shaking her head. Jack slid over another chair, until he was sitting next to her. He grabbed her face with his hands, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Keep going, B. Let me help you."

She swallowed. I don't know what happened here in Detroit, why he had to leave. I don't want to know. But I know what happened after. We ended up in Indianapolis first. Dad got a job there with his company. At first, everything seemed to be okay. I got into a really good school. And I never got to see Dad, other than for dinner, and he was so excited about me that I never saw anything. But that only lasted like…a week. And then…Dad brought home this girl…Shana."

"What?"

"They 'dated' for a week. And then, after that, it was girl after girl after girl. Dad started missing work. And he was fired. We left after that…not even a full three months…After that, things just went downhill. Dad kept bringing girls home, kept losing his job. So we'd move again. For a while, I tried to pretend that things were going to be normal. I kept trying to make friends, trying to make out a home of all these crappy places. But then we started moving every month. I just lived out of my suitcase, keeping quiet. I started shutting myself off from everything…even my dad. I was so mad at him for bringing these girls home."

"Brooke."

"Then, things changed again in Boston. Dad never even got a job. But the money kept rolling in. The girls stopped coming, and he started being my father again. And I was kinda happier. The moving didn't stop though. We just moved, and moved…sometimes we'd have to move in the middle of the night. At first I didn't get it, but then it hit me; my dad became a criminal. And then, we landed in New York. I wish we never would have gone there."

"What happened?"

"My dad, _somehow, _ran into a guy who had this whole operation. He found a home with these guys. And we stayed there, for six months. It was the worst six months of my life, I swear."

She stood up from the table, going to stand by the sink. Jack followed, wrapping his arms around her. "I want to help you. Please let me help you…"

She nodded. "The guys were creeps. They started hanging around the house, always looking at me like I was a piece of meat...like I was a piece of property."

Jack's grip on her tightened. "Did they—"

She shook her head. "No. No. My dad was still my dad…he never let them near me." Jack felt her shaking. He turned her around to see a single tear slide down her cheek. He wiped it away with his thumb. "But I was still scared. And all I could think about was you and Bobby, and Angel, and Jerry…how much I wanted you guys, because then I knew I would be safe. But you weren't there, and I swear I was going crazy Jack…"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't be there."

"Don't be. It's okay."

"How did you end up back in Detroit?"

She swallowed hard. "My dad fucked up…really bad. He screwed these guys over, lost them a lot of money. I remember, he came home, freaking out, saying the cops were after him. Next thing I know…we're surrounded by cops. My dad's in jail, and I'm in the system."

"Jesus Christ."

"I did everything, _everything _that Bobby taught me to say out of a foster home. I even punched a few people…I just knew that a foster home was the last place I wanted to be. My dad got out of jail after a week, which wasn't going to do him any good; the assholes he worked with were after him. Still, I wanted to go home with him, but the system wouldn't let him have me. They said he was an unfit parent. I don't know all the details Jack, but I know that Dad worked out a deal with them; they used their connections to get me back to my dad. And it turns out they guy Dad was working for was a lackey for some guy from Detroit. He had him my dad sent here. Said he had some shit that he needed him to do, and that if he did it, they would be even."

"Does he believe that?"

Brooke walked away, sitting down on the chair. "I don't know. But I do know he's in over his head. He fucking thinks he's your brother. But he's not. So either, he's going to get himself killed, or most likely we're going to end up running…and I don't want that."

Jack sat down, grabbing her hand. "You don't have to." She looked at him. "You said your dad came here because he knew he had family. He was right. Stay with me."

"What?"

"You're almost eighteen. Stay with me. And when we graduate, leave with me."

"I can't. I'm sorry."

"But you said…"

"Jack, I'm the last thing my dad has. If I leave him, he's not going to run. He's just going to get himself killed. He probably already would have if it hadn't been for me."

"Fine. Then I'll go with you. I'll stay with you."

"Jack."

"I don't want you to be scared and for me not be there when you need me. I'll go with you."

"Don't do that for me."

"I'm not. I'm doing it for me."

They sat in silence. Brooke felt a little better about telling him. He knew. And he knew she would keep his promise. He would protect her. But she also knew she couldn't let him go with her.

"So, is that where your dad is tonight?" She nodded. "Is it big?" She nodded again. "How big?"

"Huge."


End file.
